Vote for Television Repair Guide

Many problems, which we think are complex, have lots of simple solutions. For example, your television suddenly turned off and wouldn’t turn on. Don't conclude right away that your problem is a big one, since you haven’t really looked through it. The problem might just be a blown fuse or bad connection with the switch cable and whatnot. If for some reasons, you are still having difficulties, just chill out. A problem can hardly be solved by very problematic and tired hands and mind.

We’re here to guide you with TV troubleshooting. As much as possible, we try to minimize your effort and expenses in this one. So here are some tips that you can use when troubleshooting:

First of all, try working in a wide open area that is clean and well-lighted. This helps you see the parts of your unit clearly and also makes it easier for you to find small parts that fell on the ground.

When you start working on your unit, be sure to write notes and draw some diagrams regarding your unit. This will be really helpful when you reassemble your unit. Switching cables to wrong places may cause another trouble, so be sure that you noted where they should be inserted in.

When disassembling your unit, be sure to sort out the small parts like screws and store them into small containers. This doesn’t only prevent you from losing small but important parts, but it also makes it easy for you to figure out which part should be with this or that part.

You will only need a basic set of hand tools for disassembling a television. This includes:

When disconnecting or replacing soldered wires in your unit, you will need a soldering iron and lead. Be sure to work properly on your solder connections because a mistake like using inappropriate soldering tool or soldering the wires incorrectly may cost you a lot of money and trouble. Remember, what we want here is to troubleshoot with as little effort and cost as possible.

Here are some examples of common problem on television sets; you can do it yourself without any technical knowledge or if your just a newbie's.

* One of the common malfunctions that occur in television sets is blotches of color, which may be particularly apparent around the edges or the center of the screen. This can happen if the television screen becomes magnetized, which will occur if the television is placed near other electronic equipment, such as stereo speakers. While most televisions contain a circuit that will automatically de-magnetize the screen, this circuit may be damaged or otherwise malfunctioning. To de-magnetize the television yourself, you will need to purchase a strong magnetic coil: these can be found at most hardware or electronics parts store. Hold the coil in the upper left hand corner, a few inches away from the screen (you should see a rainbow pattern appear on the screen). Making small circular motions move the coil around the screen (the rainbow pattern should fluctuate). Increase the size of your circular motions until you have covered the entire screen and then slowly back away from the television set, continuing to make circular motions. When the coil loses contact with the screen, the blotches of color should be gone. In order to successfully de-magnetize the set, you may need to repeat these steps several times.* Another problem occurs in television set is the sound emits static noise. This problem is easy to fix by replacing a television speaker that emits static noise, but requires caution because it entails removing the back cover of the television set, exposing the high voltage lead that runs into the top part of the picture tube. Even if the television is unplugged, the tube can shock you; do not touch it in any way. You will also be required to purchase a replacement speaker which needs to match your current speaker in impedance, which will usually be indicated on the magnet. Begin by unplugging your television and laying it, screen down, on a soft surface. Remove any screws (usually Phillips head) from the back of the television shell. Then, pull back on the cover; if you feel resistance, you may have missed a screw or the cover may have snagged on one of the set's internal wires. Carefully remove these obstacles and set the cover aside. Identify the malfunctioning speaker (whichever one usually emits static noise), and replace it with the new one. Reattach the speaker in the same manner the old one was attached. Replace the television cover and attach with screws. Important: during this process it is very important to make sure none of the internal wiring of the television is jarred, twisted, or broken. Any damage to these components can irrevocably impair the function of the set.* One more symptom that you can fix by yourself is if your television set has a tendency to shut off randomly, it is probably overheating. Permanently remove any objects placed on or too close to the television's ventilation slats. Use a small vacuum attachment to remove any dust that has built up there. This should successfully prevent your television from randomly shutting off again.*

Power problem? This one is a bit complicated if you have no technical knowledge, however it can be done by a newbie’s. No power, Check first the fuse, just trace the power cord to the main board and you'll find the fuse. If busted, try checking the power regulator if shorted. The power regulator is screwed on a heat sink and located near the big filter capacitor. Test the regulator on the board using a multi-meter check the collector to base and collector to emitter. If shorted, dis-solder the regulator and remove it then test the board where the regulator is soldered if shorted. If none, it means the parts to be replaced are the fuse and the power regulator.

These four techniques will cure 50% of the problems that ail your television set, saving you time and money. If using these techniques does not work for you or if you feel unsure in performing any of them, a professional television repair person should be contacted. Ask for an estimate and a realistic appraisal of whether the set can be adequately fixed. If not, it may be time to shop around for a newer model.

When buying part there are a lot of reputable parts dealers on the internet, make sure you get the facts and do your research before buying parts through them. Find out the OEM, or original equipment manufacturer. Find out the brand of part they sell, or the type of replacement part they sell. See if they have options and the differences between the options.